Needled fabric sleeve and apparatus for making the same



J. PORTA Nov. 17, 1970 NEEDLED FABRIC SLEEVE AND APPARATUS FOR MAKINGTHE SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 17, 1967 INVENTOR (Ia/ke poem BYi/zz, smx

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NEEDLED FABRIC SLEEVE AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING THE SAME Filed July 17,1967 J. PORTA Nov. 17, 1970 3S11eets-Sheet 2 ww m% INVENTORI. (10265P0271 7 BY M,%m7, 1 0w I Q] Q lav-102N590.

NEEDLED FABRIC SLEEVE AND APPARATUS FOR MAKi I QG THE SAME Filed July17. 1967 J. PORTA Nov. 17, 1970 5 Sheets-Sheet, 3

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United States Patent 3,540,096 NEEDLED FABRIC SLEEVE AND APPARATUS FORMAKING THE SAME Jorge Porta, Los Angeles, Calif. (1243 W. 134th St.,Gardena, Calif. 90247) Filed July 17, 1967, Ser. No. 653,753 Int. Cl.D04h 18/00 US. Cl. 284 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A needledfabric sleeve of desired length including a tubular base of woven nylon,with a multiplicity of filaments of synthetic fibrous material,preferably polypropylene, needled into the tubular base while the latteris maintained under substantial tension and incrementally advancedbetween successive needling steps. The apparatus comprises a machineincluding spaced parallel horizontally disposed elongated rollers, alongitudinally extending apertured bedplate between the rollers, meansincluding cantilevered support means for the bedplate and rollers forfacilitating the mounting of the tubular base to extend around therollers and across the bedplate, means for supporting the distal ends ofthe cantilevered members and for peripherally tensioning the tubularbase, and means for needling fibrous material into the tubular base asthe latter is incrementally advanced.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains to the fieldof fabric sleeves, often referred to as felts, particularly as used as asheath to cover rigid rollers made of steel or the like, in operationsinvolving the squeezing of a wet workpiece, such as a piece of leather,between two rollers, at least one of the rollers being so sheathed, forthe purpose of drying the leather during steps in the tanning process.The sleeve of the present invention is made of synthetic,non-hygroscopic materials, preferably employing nylon in its woventubular base and polypropylene fibers needled into the base while thebase is maintained under substantial tension. The sleeve is particularlylong-lasting in use by reason of the strength of the woven fabric baseresulting from its being made of nylon; and the polypropylene fibrousmaterial needled into the tensioned woven nylon base provides resistanceto abrasion during use and minimizes scratching or other harmful effectsupon pieces of leather or other workpieces being squeezed betweenrollers sheathed by sleeves of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention discloses novelimprovements in needled fabric sleeves which are conventionally mountedloosely upon cylindrical rollers of metal in squeezing presses forwringing workpieces such as leather in the tanning industry. Theinvention is also directed to the apparatus for economically and rapidlymanufacturing the sleeves, including the maintaining of the woven nylontubular base under substantial tension While fibrous polypropylene isneedled into the base by a multiplicity of needles verticallyreciprocatable, the base being incrementally moved between successiveentrances of the needles into the base. The apparatus includes spacedparallel rollers and means for incrementally advancing one of therollers and an apertured bedplate between the rollers. Sleeves ascontemplated by the present invention are typically from three to sixfeet or more in length and about ten or twelve inches in diameter.Mounting of the tubular base on the needling machine, and removal of thecompleted sleeve after needling, are accomplished by axial movement ofthe tubular base and completed sleeve in accordance with the presentinvention, and means are provided in the needling machine for supportingthe elongated bedplate and rollers in cantilevered fashion at one end ofthe elongated members. The other or distal ends are firmly supportedduring operation by means which, after the sleeve is completed, may bereadily moved transversely of the sleeve axis to inoperative positionsbeyond the extension of the sleeve periphery, whereby to permit axialremoval of the sleeve from the machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofan illustrative embodiment of the machine in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, with the central portion omitted,of the lower part of the machine.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the arrows IIIIII of FIG. 2, with asleeve shown in dotted outline on the machine; the trunnion link isshown in inoperative position in dotted outline.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken onthe arrows IV-IV of FIG. 1, showing the needle bar in its raisedposition and a tubular woven base in position to be needled.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the needle beam in itslowered position, with the needles piercing the fibrous mass and thetubular woven base, the sleeve being seen in substantially completedcondition.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of thestructure as seen in FIG. 3, showing a completely needled sleeve aboutto be removed from the machine, the idler roller having been movedtoward the support beam to relieve peripheral tension on the sleeve, andthe bedplate support and the idler roller support bracket having beenmoved transversely of the beam axis away from the beam to permit axialwithdrawal of the sleeve from the machine.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the upper portion of themachine shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the distal end of thesupport beam, showing details of the mounting thereon of the bedplateand one of the drive roller journal brackets.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It will be understood that theneedled sleeves of the present invention have peripheries small relativeto their length, and many features of the present machine areparticularly advantageous for such sleeves.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1 thereof,the machine of the present invention is shown mounted upon a floor orother supporting surface indicated generally at 10, the machineincluding upright left and right members indicated generally at 12 and14 respectively, the latter constituting a drive assembly housing.Across the upper part of the machine is a horizontally disposed housingindicated generally at 16 containing the means to be referred to laterfor imparting vertical reciprocating motion to the horizontally disposedneedle bar indicated generally at 20. Within housing 14 there isprovided a source of power such as a motor indicated generally at 22 andbelt 23 for driving mutually fixed sheaves 24 and 25, the latter beingconnected through belt 26 to sheave 21 fixed to gear 27, which in turnis connected through the gear train indicated generally at 28 to gear29. Crank arms 30 and 31 are eccentrically connected at their upper endsto gears 27 and 29 respectively, and at their lower ends are pivotallyconnected at 32 and 33 to brackets fixed to the needle bar 20. Bar isprovided at each end with a block 36 and 38, the blocks being receivedin verticaly extending guideways carried by left end member 12 andupstanding housing 14 respectively. It will thus be understood thatrotational power from motor 22 imparts vertical reciprocal movement toneedle bar 20.

As best appears in FIGS. 4 and 5, needle bars 20 may take the form of anI-beam, including in its lower portion a pair of flanges and 41extending forwardly and rear- Wardly respectively from a vertical web42. A needle board is indicated generally at 44, retained in assembledrelation on the lower surface of needle bar 20 by suitable clamp meansindicated generally at 45 and desirably including screws 46 by which tofacilitate removal of the needle board when necessary for maintenance orrepair thereof. Projecting downwardly from the needle board is aplurality of needles indicated generally at 50, here shown as includinga series of five rows of needles 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55, each rowincluding a multiplicity of needles in lateral alignment extendingacross the width of the machine, as Will be seen in FIG. 1. There isprovided beneath needle bar 20 a stripper plate indicated generally at60, extending approximately horizontally substantially the length of themachine and provided with five rows of apertures therethrough, each suchaperture 61 being in vertical alignment with one of the needles 50.Stripper plate is supported in its rear portion at 62 by the lower endsof vertically disposed support members 64. The latter are hereillustratively shown as cylindrical, and their upper portions arereceived in vertical disposed sleeves 66, which terminate upwardly andare fixed to blocks 68, the latter being in turn fixed to the lower faceof housing 16 extending across the length of the machine.

Beneath the stripper plate 60 there are provided in accordance with thepresent invention means for movably supporting a tubular woven base topermit needles 50 to be cyclically driven downwardly into the base, andmeans for incrementally moving the tubular base during the upper phaseof the needle bar movement cycle. In the present illustrative form ofthe machine, such means include a bedplate indicated generally at 70,having as seen in section a Ushaped configuration including a centralhorizontally disposed web 72 and a pair of downwardly extending flanges73 and 74 at the rear and front respectively of the central web 72. Web72 has formed therethrough a number of apertures 75, each being invertical alignment with one of the needles 50 projecting downwardly fromneedle bar 20.

Bedplate 70, as will be seen in FIG. 1, extends substantially the entireworking length of the machine, and is mounted upon a support beamindicated generally at 80 extending the entire length of the machine asseen in FIG. 1 and fixed at its right end 81 as by welds 82 to amounting block 83 carried by the vertically extending housing 14.Bedplate is fixed to support beam by suitable means, here shown asincluding bolts 86 extending through flanges 73 and 74 of the bedplateinto beam 80. As will be described in detail later in connection withFIGS. 3 and 6, the left end 87 of beam 80 is supported during operationof the machine by a vertically movable support block indicated generallyat 88.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, roller means are provided in accordancewith the present invention on which the fabric tubular base is mountedand incrementally moved during the needling operation. The roller meansare here shown as including a front drive roller indicated generally at90 and a rear tensioning roller indicated generally at 92, eachextending substantially the full length of the machine.

Drive roller 90 is rotatably journaled at its left and right ends inbrackets 93 and 94 respectively, the brackets being fixed to supportbeam 80. Adjacent journal 94 means are provided for incrementallyrotating drive roller 90 in timed relation with the movement of needlebar 20 in the upper phase of its vertically reciprocating cycle. Suchmeans are here shown as a ratchet and pawl arrangement indicatedgenerally at and including a lever arm 102 arcuately oscillatable aboutthe axis of shaft 104 and engageable in conventional fashion throughclick 105 with ratchet wheel 106 with which spring loaded pawl 107 isalso is engagement. It will be understood that arcuate oscillation oflever arm 102 will cause incremental rotation of ratchet wheel 106which, through suitable conventional gearing such as a worm gear or thelike (not shown) serves to impart such incremental rotation to driveroller 90'. Arm 102 is driven in its arcuate oscillations throughsuitable means, here diagrammatically illustrated as including link 110,crank arms 112 and 114 and links 115 and 117, the latter link beingpivotally connected at 118 to drive gear 27, eccentrically of such gear.

With further reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, means are provided inaccordance With the invention for supplying fibrous material, here shownas a batt indicated generally at 120 and consisting of a multiplicity ofthin filamentsof the selected material to be needled into the tubularbase. Although the preferred filamentary material in accordance with theinvention is polypropylene, preferably linear polypropylene, any of manyolefin, filament-forming polymers can be used. Suitable olefin polymersuseful in the invention are, for example, polyethylene, such as linearpolyethylene. In addition, the olefin co-polymers may be used. Theimportant criterion for suitability of use in acordance with theinvention is high resistance to abrasion, and polypropylene is preferredfor that reason.

Although in some installations batt 120 may be selffeeding rightwardlyas seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, nevertheless there may also be provided meansfor moving the batt into position under the stripper plate 60. Suchmeans are here shown as including upper and lower rollers indicatedgenerally at 122 and 124 respectively, one of the rollers, as 122, beingdriven by suitable drive means in timed relation with the movement ofother movable parts of the machine. Batt 120 is fed along feed plate126, spaced below stripper plate 60, and in substantial horizontalalignment with the central apertured portion 72 of bedplate 70. Theindividual filaments of batt 120 are there needled and entangled intothe tubular woven base indicated generally at 130, the tubular basebeing here shown as extending around bedplate 70, drive roller 90 andrear or idler roller 92.

Means are desirably provided in accordance with the invention formaintaining the tubular base under substantial peripheral tension duringthe needling process. In the present illustrative form of the invention,such means include movable trunnions in which the opposite ends of idlerroller 92 are journaled. The arrangement will be best understood byreference to FIG. 2, wherein the left and right trunnions are indicatedgenerally at and 142 respectively. Each of these trunnions is fixed atits lower end 141 and 143 respectively to a shaft indicated generally at145 extending the length of the machine and journaled to the machine at146 and 147. At its distal end 150 trunnion 142 supports a rightwardlyextending pinion 152 of idler roller 92, and roller 92 extends incantilevered suspension leftwardly the length of the machine until itsdistal end is supported by trunnion 140, as will now be described.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, trunnion 140 is provided, near itsdistal end, with a trunnion link 160, pivotally attached at its lowerend to trunnion 140 for swinging movement about the axis 161. The outerend of trunnion link is provided with a bore 162 therethrough forreceiving a fastening element such as capscrew 164 having a threadedshank 165 received in a threaded bore at the distal end of roller 92.

When capscrew 164 is disassembled from roller 92, trunnion link 160 maybe swung about its pivotal axis 161, as best seen by a comparsion ofFIGS. 3 and 6, so

that the trunnion link is completely withdrawn from the periphery of thesleeve. As will be later understood, the support member 88 for thedistal end of support beam 80 may also be withdrawn outside theextension of the periphery of the sleeve, whereby to permit axialwithdrawal of the sleeve from the machine after it has been completelyneedled.

Means are provided in accordance with the invention for peripherallytensioning the tubular base during needling. In the present illustrativeembodiment of the invention, such means will be best understood byreference to FIGS. 2 and 3, and are here shown as including a shaftindicated generally at 170 journaled at 171 to the side wall of themachine and rotatable by suitable means such as handwheel 172. Shaft 170is threaded in its distal portion as indicated at 174, and is engaged inan internally threaded boss 175 carried by trunnion 140 intermediate itsends. It will be understood that rotation of shaft 174 by means ofhandwheel 172 causes trunnion 140 to be moved rightwardly as seen inFIG. 3 about the axis of shaft 145. and also partially rotates shaft145. The latter transmits the rotary motion to trunnion 142 at the otherend of the machine, thereby moving the shaft extension 152 of roller 92through an equal arcuate travel.

Means are provided in accordance with the invention for supporting thedistal end of support beam 80, including element 88 previouslymentioned, such means being movable transversely of the axis of beam 80for a distance sufficient to be outside the longitudinal extension ofthe periphery of the finished sleeve, whereby to permit axial withdrawalof the sleeve after it has been completely needled in accordance withthe invention. Such support means for the distal end of support beam 80will be best understood by reference to FIGS. 2 and 7, showing the meansin supporting relation with the beam distal end, and FIG. 6, showing thesupport means in withdrawn or non-supporting relation with the beam.

Specifically, the upstanding structural member 12 at the left end of themachine includes a vertically disposed wall indicated generally at 180having mounted thereon a pair of spaced parallel guide members 182 and184, fixed to wall 180 by suitable fastening elements 185. A verticallymovable block, previously indicated generally at 88 includes outwardlyprojecting guide flanges 190 and 191, slidably received between guidemembers 182, 184 and side wall 180. At its lower end, block 88 isprovided with an outwardly extending bracket 194, to which is attachedby fastening means 195, the upper end of a rod indicated generally at196. Means are provided in accordance with the invention for moving rod196 upwardly and downwardly under the control of the operator, therebymoving support block 88 upwardly and downwardly between its uppersupporting position of FIGS. 2 and 7 and its lower withdrawn position ofFIG. 6. In the present illustration, suchactuating means for rod 196 mayinclude a gear housing indicated generally at 200, having an input shaft202 driven through suitable belting 203 by motor 204. The internalmechanism of gear housing 200 is not described in detail, since suchdetails form no part of the present invention, and any of manyconventional known gear systems may be employed to convert rotationalpower applied to shaft 202 into axial movement of rod 196.

Means are provided in accordance with the invention for locking thevertically movable block 88 in a selected position. In the presentembodiment of the invention, such means are afforded by a verticallyextending slot indicated generally at 210 formed in the block 88, and alocking pinion, indicated generally at 212 extending through slot 210,having its outer threaded end in engagement with a nut or the like 214fixed to the inner surface of vertical wall 180 of the machine. Anextended handle 216 may be formed on the outer end of pinion 212, sothat manual torque applied to handle 216, through the enlarged collar218, serves to force block 88 into frictional contact with 6 wall 180and thereby to lock block 88 against vertical movement. The upper faceof block 88 is desirably centrally recessed as seen, for example, inFIG. 6, whereby block 88 in its upper or operative position of FIGS. 2and 7 furnishes not only vertical support to beam but also lateralsupport thereto.

In order to mount a tubular base on the machine, preparatory to itsbeing needled in accordance with the invention, the idler roller 92 ismoved to a position relatively close to support beam 80. With supportblock 88 in its lowered position as seen in FIG. 6, tubular sleeve maybe slid axially along its length extending generally around the tworollers and bedplate 70. Support block 88 is then moved upwardly, as bymeans of motor 204, into its beam-supporting position seen in FIGS. 2and 7. Trunnion link 160 is then pivoted into its operative positionseen in FIG. 3 and is attached to roller 92 by capscrew 164. The woventubular base is then peripherally tensioned by movement of roller 92away from support beam 80, by actuation of handwheel 172, serving tomove trunnions and 142 into their operative or extended positions,supporting roller 92 in its extended position.

A portion of the batt 120 is then positioned between the stripper plate61 and bedplate 70, and the operator then commeneces the needlingoperation by energizing the main driving motor 22. This, in accordancewith the description given hereinabove, causes vertical reciprocatingmovement of the needle bar 20 and the needles 50 projecting downwardlytherefrom, each penetration of the needles causing portions of thefibrous batt120 to become entangled with the woven tubular base 130 inknown manner. The tubular base 130 is intermittently advanced by theintermittent rotation of roller 90, and it may be desirable to provide,on the surface of rollers 90, small irregularities or teeth 91, wherebyto certainly grip the inner surface of the tubular base 130 to insureproper incremental advance thereof.

The needling operation may continue until a desired compaction offibrous material on the tubular base 130 has been achieved, dependingupon the intended use of the finished sleeve. When the desiredcompaction has been achieved, the machine is stopped and peripheraltension on the finished sleeve is removed by actuation of handwheel 172.Trunnion link is then disengaged from roller 92 and is pivotally swunginto its position seen in FIG. 6, and support block 88 is unlocked byhandle 216 and then lowered as also seen in FIG. 6. The finished sleevemay then slid axially of its length from the machine.

Modifications and changes from the preferred embodiments of theinvention hereinabove described and illustrated are within thecontemplation of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine for making a sleeve by needling filaments of fibrousmaterial into a tubular base whose periphery is small relative to itsaxial length, the machine being provided with an elongated bedplatehaving an apertured portion, a roller for engaging the inner surface ofa tubular base and disposed adjacent and parallel to the bedplate, anelongated needle bar above the bedplate having a plurality of needlesprojecting downwardly in registration with the bedplate apertures, meansfor cyclically reciprocating the bar vertically, and means forincrementally rotating said roller when the needle bar is in the upperphase of its vertical movement cycle,

the provision of a cantilevered support beam having one end fixed to themachine and extending at least slightly longer than the length of thelongest sleeve to be needled by the machine, the bedplate and rollerbeing carried by the support beam,

and support means at the distal end of the support beam, movable betweenan operative position supporting said distal end and an inoperativeposition withdrawn in a direction transverse to the beam axissufficiently to permit axial withdrawal of the needled sleeve from theroller and bedplate.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 including means for applyingperipheral tension to the tubular base during needling.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 including a second rollerdisposed parallel to the support beam and on the opposite side thereoffrom the first named roller.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 including means for selectivelyadjusting the effective tubular base periph- 10 ery determined by thefirst named roller, the second roller and the bedplate, whereby to applyperipheral tension to the tubular base. I

5. Theinvention as defined in claim 3 including means at the end of saidsecond roller which is adjacent the References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,117,359 1/1964 OByrne 28--4 3,166,823 l/196S Bernard 2872.23,287,786 11/1966 Goy 284 3,375,561 4/1968 Ford 28-722 15 LOUIS K.RIMRODT, Primary Examiner

